Favre takes next step toward return with letter to NFL

"I've been empowered as the starting quarterback and until that changes, I'll say it again, that's going to be my focus," Rodgers said.

Rodgers said he and Favre have "never had a problem" and would probably "joke around" when they saw each other again.

"We've got a great relationship," Rodgers said. "If he's here, we'll welcome him back."

But some Packers players seemed skeptical that Favre would remain the backup if he ended up reporting to camp and wasn't traded away.

"I don't know about that," wide receiver Donald Driver said. "But we'll see. We'll see what happens."

Cornerback Charles Woodson -- who chanted "We want Brett!" as he left the practice field Tuesday, but later laughed it off as "just having a little fun" with reporters -- seemed to think Favre could play his way into the position.

"Who knows how Brett feels about that -- if he's coming in as being the backup, or coming in and a potential trade is going to happen, I don't know," Woodson said. "But if he comes in as the backup, he just comes in and plays the way he knows how to play. And if it's better, then the organization has another decision to make."

But Woodson said players aren't taking sides.

"There's no reason for anyone in the locker room to take sides or say in the media they prefer one guy over the other," Woodson said. "It's A-Rod's job, and at this point, it's his job to keep."

McCarthy said Favre's presence wouldn't become a distraction.

"I'm not concerned about it," McCarthy said. "We have talked about it as a football team. The players are handling it totally different than I think the perception is out there. We're about playing football. We're about getting ready for our season upcoming. Everybody is aware of everything that is going on. There are no ill feelings toward Brett Favre, and he will be welcomed back into our locker room."

Of course, it won't come to that if the Packers can work out a trade deemed acceptable to Favre in the next few days.

The Packers have no plans to grant Favre the release he has requested, suspecting that he would immediately sign with division rival Minnesota; the Packers have filed tampering charges against the Vikings.

The team owns Favre's rights until his contract expires after the 2010 season, making a trade the most likely outcome acceptable to both Favre and the Packers.

But maybe not for some of his old teammates.

"He would look ugly in any other uniform, plain and simple," Driver said. "Every guy that leaves here and gets another uniform, that's what I tell them: They look ugly."